Artisan Smokehouse Director “Physically Sick” After £37,000 Salmon Fraud

An artisan smokehouse owner reported feeling “physically sick” after becoming the victim of a salmon scam that resulted in a loss of tens of thousands of pounds. Chris Swales, director of Chapel and Swan Smokehouse, located in Exning, Suffolk, dispatched approximately £37,000 worth of smoked salmon to what he believed was a French supermarket. However, he was deceived into delivering nine pallets of the product to what he described as a “dodgy” car garage in east London. The 54-year-old stated that the financial repercussions had left his family-operated business “really, really short of cash.” This fraudulent scheme bore similarities to a method previously used in the theft of £300,000 worth of cheddar from London cheese specialist Neal’s Yard Dairy. Mr. Swales concluded that the buyers he had been communicating with were fictitious after contacting the primary switchboard of the French supermarket they purported to represent. Mr. Swales recounted: “I only realised what was happening when I was preparing their second order and asked them to confirm payment for the first invoice.“They said they would pay the first and second invoice together when they got the second order, but that was not what we agreed – then it started to get really quiet.“When I realised I had been de-frauded I felt physically sick and I became really, really unwell.“The food business is riddled with low-end crookery but this is completely next level – I was absolutely staggered.” Mr. Swales subsequently drove to the designated delivery location in London, where he encountered a “really shady” site featuring “guard dogs and lots of people in black.” He further stated: “At the back of this yard was a pair of knackered old shipping containers and at that point I thought ‘that’s clearly where the salmon has gone’.” He explained that the business is “only insured for theft from our units and our van so we’ve just got to take the financial hit – the actual loss to the business is about £28,500.” Beyond the financial repercussions for the business, Mr. Swales expressed concern regarding the potential health risks for individuals consuming the salmon. He elaborated: “My branded product is out there in the black market and I have no control over where it is.“Smoked salmon is a high-risk product and if you serve smoked salmon that has not been stored properly or defrosted correctly you can make people seriously ill.“I don’t think this is being sold in the UK – this is part of a much larger operation that is smuggling high end food stocks abroad.“Someone has to be turning a blind eye to this.” Action Fraud has confirmed that Mr. Swales’ case is presently under investigation by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, which is part of the City of London Police. Officials at Suffolk Trading Standards advised food businesses to “remain vigilant.” A spokesperson stated: “For businesses already feeling the financial strain, the cost of food crime can have a huge impact, with some never recovering from the damaging loss.”The spokesperson added: “We encourage Suffolk food businesses to remain vigilant and take some simple steps to help protect their business from fraudsters. “Be mindful of orders from fake or cloned companies – don’t be afraid to carry out some checks on the company and the employee you are dealing with.””